PPC or SEO?
Which one to choose for your business and why?
Many businesses and marketers struggle when choosing between PPC and SEO. Which one to choose for better results? Should you rely on gaining organic traffic through SEO – Search Engine Optimization, or should you pay for it through a PPC campaign- Pay Per Click?
In this article, we are going to clarify what SEO and PPC mean, what pros and cons they have, and which one you should choose for your business.
So, what is PPC? Pay-per-click advertising is when a marketer or a business in fact pays Google for every time their advertisement is clicked on.
This strategy works due to the campaign’s keywords which a marketer registered in case someone searches for the service/product they are advertising.
PPC advertising is done better when using PPC Management software. It helps to set up multiple campaigns, to have links placed on different channels, and also suggests the right keywords for the business.
Pros of PPC
- Faster Results. When a correctly done PPC campaign starts, the clicks and traffic will immediately grow. You’ll have more conversions and engagement which we can’t say about SEO as it can take months to achieve such results.
- Stability in algorithms. PPC algorithms don’t change regularly, unlike SEO which always depends on search engine updates.
- The budget on control. PPC also can be low-cost. You can set your own budget for a PPC advertising campaign and change it anytime.
Cons:
- Short-term. PPC is working while the ad is on. When it ends, the traffic stops flowing contrary to SEO.
- The “Click Fraud” problem. Unfortunately, PPC ads can be clicked by some people or a computer program to draw pay for clicks without any further interest in the ad. This will charge you money but won’t bring real results.
- May take time for a winning campaign. There can be cases when the PPC campaign fails, even when it’s created by professionals. It may take some time to find the right formula for your business.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization is the strategy when a site reaches higher ranks in search engines due to some practices. It brings organic traffic to your website by “convincing” google or other search engines to rank high your business.
The practices include quality content, finding the right keywords, optimizing your website’s local search and performance, and many other issues.
Pros of SEO:
- It’s Free. You don’t have to pay for SEO optimization. All you need is good SEO skills.
- Long-lasting results. SEO is time-consuming but its results last longer and can bring constant traffic when done correctly unlike PPC.
- Always promoted business. SEO’s work and results won’t disappear because of the budget, it will always keep your business on high ranks, which we can’t say about PPC.
Cons:
- Slow and time-consuming. SEO optimization can take months to get the desired results, while a PPC campaign can do it within some days.
- Algorithms change. Google’s algorithms change much more frequently and thus can cost you a loss of previous results.
- The risk of being penalized. It could be awful to lose all the organic traffic you gained in a night because of a Google penalty. This may occur for many reasons even if you don’t know them.
So, after all, Which one to choose for your business?
If your business is new in online marketing, you can start with a well-created PPC campaign to just boost your visibility and gain results faster.
If your budget is limited, and the whole PPC campaign’s cost may be more than can be afforded, then you should choose SEO.
If you do not mind waiting 3 and more months for gaining results, you can choose SEO. But if you want a quick “fuel” to your business with faster outcomes, then you should try PPC.
These tips will help you choose the right method for your business but an important thing you should know is that the best strategy for the best result is to include both advertising methods as they are somewhat connected with each other and play their own role in digital marketing.
